August 13, 2024

Is Your Child or Young Adult a Struggling Student?

Students of all ages can struggle with focusing and learning problems that can impede their academic success. What many don?t know is that an estimated 80% of students with learning difficulties actually have an undiagnosed…
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Opto-Mization Optometry & Vision Therapy

female student suffering from headache in library 3808057Students of all ages can struggle with focusing and learning problems that can impede their academic success. What many don?t know is that an estimated 80% of students with learning difficulties actually have an undiagnosed visual problem that could be contributing to their academic challenges. Additionally, 80% of a child?s learning in school is vision-based, so a problem with visual skills could negatively affect academic performance. A personalized vision therapy program with Opto-mization NeuroVisual Performance can help your child gain the visual skills they need to succeed.

How Can I Tell If My Child Has a Vision Problem?

Your child may display any number of the following symptoms or behaviors due to a vision problem:

  • Frequent head tilting
  • Headaches, dizziness, or eye strain
  • Poor depth perception
  • Tendency to close one eye
  • Double or blurred vision
  • Avoidance of visually demanding tasks
  • Poor hand-eye coordination
  • Poor reading comprehension
  • Easily loses place or skips lines while reading
  • Difficulty judging an object?s size or shape
  • Difficulty focusing for extended periods of time
  • Behavioral issues

It?s important to note that the only way to accurately determine whether your child has a visual problem is to bring them in for a functional visual evaluation where Dr. Cameron McCrodan or Dr. Scott Irvine will assess your child?s eye health and various visual skills. If a visual problem is detected, vision therapy may be recommended to treat the issue and restore healthy vision.

How Can Vision Therapy Improve Learning?

Vision therapy is a personalized series of in-house, weekly sessions that are meant to strengthen the eye-brain connection and ensure that both eyes work in unison to create a unified and clear image of their surroundings. Vision therapy has little to do with eye ?strength? or visual acuity (distance vision). Rather, it focuses on building and refining other visual skills, such as eye teaming and tracking ? skills necessary for efficient reading and learning.

The vision therapist will use various tools to aid in the therapeutic process, such as prisms, filters, balance boards, therapeutic lenses, and more. At the end of each session, the patient will be instructed to perform eye exercises daily until the next session as an at-home component to the program. Progress will be closely monitored to ensure there is an improvement.

By strengthening the eye-brain connection, scholastic tasks like reading and focusing will likely become easier for your child since less effort is needed to perform them. Increased ease in these areas will also boost your child?s confidence and self-esteem. Vision therapy has the potential to transform a struggling student into a thriving one.

Jump Start Your Child?s Academic Year

The summer months are the optimal time to begin vision therapy sessions to prepare for the upcoming school year. Especially in Covid-19 times, when most of a child?s learning may be on a computer, it?s the perfect time to determine if your child?s struggles are classroom-based or vision-based. Call Opto-mization NeuroVisual Performance today to book your child?s consultation with Dr. Cameron McCrodan or Dr. Scott Irvine and start them on the path to success.

Opto-mization NeuroVisual Performance provides vision therapy and other services to patients from Victoria, Nanaimo, Duncan, Vancouver Island, and throughout British Columbia.

 

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Our Victoria Practice
Opto-Mization Optometry & Vision Therapy
200-775 Topaz Ave
Victoria, BC V8T 4Z7
Phone
(250) 590-7384
Fax
250-412-6459
Email
(Do not send personal health information by email.)
  • Monday:
    8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Tuesday:
    8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Wednesday:
    8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Thursday:
    8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Friday:
    8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Saturday:
    8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Sunday:
    Closed
Rating
5.0
Out of 265 Reviews
Our Nanaimo Practice
Opto-Mization Optometry & Vision Therapy
205-1825 Bowen Rd
Nanaimo, BC V9S 1H1
Phone
(250) 591-0270
Fax
250-412-6459
Email
(Do not send personal health information by email.)
  • Monday:
    10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Tuesday:
    10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Wednesday:
    10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Thursday:
    11:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Friday:
    9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Saturday:
    Closed
  • Sunday:
    Closed
Rating
4.9
Out of 59 Reviews

You Ask, We'll Answer

Educating you so you can make informed decisions

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  • What is Neuro-Optometry?

    Neuro-Optometry focuses on the intricate connection between your visual system and the brain, extending beyond traditional eye care to assess functional vision. This branch of optometry examines how your eyes track, move, coordinate, and how your brain processes depth, motion, and balance. Disruptions in these functions can lead to a range of issues including headaches, migraines, dizziness, balance challenges, post-concussion symptoms, reading difficulties, and attention deficits (ADHD). By exploring these functional areas, we also identify opportunities to enhance performance in activities such as sports, reading speed, and cognitive processes.

  • What is Vision Therapy?

    At Opto-Mization, vision therapy is a specialized, personalized program aimed at improving visual skills and abilities. It goes beyond traditional vision therapy to help improve how the eyes and brain work together, addressing visual-motor and perceptual-cognitive challenges to enhance overall visual function. It’s more than just exercises; it’s a pathway to better vision and improved daily life.

  • Do you Provide Regular Eye Exams and General Optometric Services?

    Yes, alongside vision therapy and neuro-optometry, we offer comprehensive eye exams and general optometry services. Our experienced optometrists perform thorough eye exams to evaluate overall eye health, identify any eye conditions or diseases, and prescribe corrective lenses when beneficial.

  • Who is the Ideal Candidate for Vision Therapy and Neuro-Optometry?

    Vision therapy and neuro-optometric rehabilitation can help individuals of all ages. Whether you’re struggling with visual processing issues, binocular vision disorders, amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (eye misalignment), or have sustained a brain injury, our services might be beneficial for you. Contact us to discuss if our tailored approach can meet your specific needs and goals.

  • Do I Need a Referral to See an Optometrist at Opto-Mization?

    No, you do not need a referral for an eye exam at Opto-Mization. We welcome anyone who suspects they might benefit from our services, whether you’re experiencing symptoms of visual discomfort or just want to ensure optimal visual performance. Feel free to reach out and schedule your appointment directly with us to take the first step toward understanding and improving your visual function.

  • Do You Direct Bill Insurance?

    Yes, we offer direct billing for a variety of insurance plans to make the process as seamless and hassle-free as possible for our patients. Our knowledgeable staff is well-versed in working with insurance providers, ensuring that you can maximize your benefits while minimizing out-of-pocket expenses for our services, including vision therapy and eye exams.